(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – The jobless rate in Pennsylvania continues on a downward slope, dropping to 6.4% in August. It’s the six straight month of decline after July’s unemployment rate fell to 6.5%. Nationally, 5.2% of Americans remain out of work. The Department of Labor and Industry said Friday the number …
(Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Two Republican lawmakers introduced a resolution Wednesday that renews the statewide disaster declaration in Pennsylvania after touring neighborhoods hard hit by the remnants of Hurricane Ida earlier this month. Reps. Shelby Labs, R-Doylestown, and Todd Stephens, R-North Wales, acknowledged it will take well beyond the initial 21-day declaration …
(Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said this week he’s seeking a federal disaster declaration in the wake of widespread storm damage caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida that blew through the Northeast last week. “This storm brought historic rainfall and flooding, as well as rare tornadoes, devastating many …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Less than a week after the Department of Health ordered universal masking in Pennsylvania schools, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration faces its first legal challenge on what many critics consider a shameful last-minute policy reversal. Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, leads a group of parents and …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Two Pennsylvania senators introduced a bill last week offering parents a chance to opt out of public school mask mandates. Senate Bill 846 came just days before the Department of Health ordered universal masking for staff and students in schools and child care centers amid what the …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – A second election reform bill appears likely in Pennsylvania this year. The chairs of the State Government Committee began circulating a cosponsorship memo earlier this month for their joint plan, which allows for a three day pre-canvassing rule, continuous video surveillance of ballot drop boxes, tightened application deadlines …
(By Kristen Smith – The Center Square) – Most of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties saw population declines over the past decade, with a few exceptions near Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The news comes from the latest U.S. Census data released Thursday, which reported Pennsylvania’s total residents exceeded 13 million in 2020, leaping over Illinois to become the fifth …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – In an effort to boost the statewide COVID-19 vaccination rate, the Pennsylvania Department of Health said residents who missed their second dose will soon receive text message reminders to complete the immunization series. Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said last week federal data shows that about 65% of …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – As the COVID-19 delta variant spikes cases nationwide, one Pennsylvania hospitality trade group signed onto the immunization effort as the state trails its 70% statewide goal. “Remember the shutdowns, the massive layoffs, and business closures? The hospitality industry is starting a slow recovery process and PA Restaurant …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Activists with Americans for Prosperity stood across the street from the Macks Trucks plant in Lehigh County where President Joe Biden stumped his multi-trillion infrastructure proposal on Wednesday to protest the “wasteful” spending it contains. “When most folks think of AFP and our activists, they think of …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti said this week Congress should use budget reconciliation to naturalize millions of undocumented immigrants as recognition for their sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We already needed to deliver pathways to citizenship as nation, even before the pandemic,” she said during a call with …
(By The Center Square) The share of the Pennsylvania workforce employed by local, state or federal governments was 11.7 percent prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the second lowest percentage among the 50 states, according to a new study from the website 24/7 Wall St. The public-sector workers in Pennsylvania numbered 622,046, based on 2019 data compiled …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Workers with disabilities in Pennsylvania can now earn up to $61,000 annually before losing access to some of their medical assistance benefits. Act 69 became law on July 1 and nearly doubles the $32,000 income cap for the program in an attempt to address widespread unemployment and underemployment …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A key panel endorsed Pennsylvania’s entry into a carbon emissions reduction program scheduled for early next year, brushing aside concerns from Republican lawmakers that the move would accomplish little other than hurting the state’s economy. The Environmental Quality Board voted 15-4 on Tuesday to adopt the Department …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Republican lawmakers said Monday they will crowdsource opinions about how best to redraw Pennsylvania’s congressional district map this fall. House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, told reporters at a news conference in Bucks County that redistricting is “one of the most important processes the legislature will undertake” …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A Republican senator in Pennsylvania initiated the first steps this week of a forensic election audit, even as the state’s top law enforcement official promised intervention should the effort continue. Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, said in an editorial Wednesday he’s requested information and materials from three counties needed for …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A WalletHub analysis ranked Pennsylvania’s electricity prices 14th highest in the nation, even as average consumption falls in the bottom half of states. The rankings considered monthly costs for natural gas, home heating oil, motor fuel oil and electricity for all 50 states and the District of Columbia to …
(By Natalie Kapustik | The Center Square) – State Sen. Joe Pittman has introduced legislation to support the work and practice of physician assistants in Pennsylvania. Senate Bill 397 amends the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act and Senate Bill 398 amends the Medical Practice Act of 1985. He said modernizing these bills will encourage more physician …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Pennsylvania lawmakers opted for a budget Friday that saves most of the state’s $10 billion in tax surplus and federal stimulus as they brace for an unprecedented fiscal cliff when the good fortune “dries up” come 2024. The $40.8 billion spending plan socks away $2.5 billion in unexpected sales …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A bill banning vaccine passports cleared the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, even though it faces Gov. Tom Wolf’s promise to veto it once it reaches his desk. Senate Bill 618 prevents public entities from requiring proof of vaccination akin to New York’s Excelsior Pass, a mobile …
(By Ted O’Neil | The Center Square) – A new study by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy shows right-to-work states have fared better than states that lack employee freedom laws when it comes to job losses and recovery during the coronavirus pandemic. The Allegheny Institute is a nonprofit free-market think tank located in Pittsburgh …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dropped to 6.9% in May, according to the Department of Labor and Industry. The state released the updated data Friday. It showed Pennsylvania’s jobless numbers still outpace the national unemployment rate of 5.8%. Total nonfarm jobs increased by 18,500 month over month, while the …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A pair of Pennsylvania lawmakers said Friday that state residents themselves should decide the stringency of the state’s voter identification law. The push comes after Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf said he’d never support strengthening existing voter I.D. law – one of the top priorities for Republicans in …
(By Natalie Kapustik | The Center Square) – Legislation sponsored by Pennsylvania state Sen. Gene Yaw to create an Agricultural Conservation Assistance Program was unanimously approved recently by the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. Senate Bill 465 would provide additional technical support to expand on-farm conservation practices throughout Pennsylvania. Farmers and landowners would partner …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A Pennsylvania House committee approved a bill Tuesday that would interrupt the state’s plan to limit carbon emissions from Pennsylvania’s power sector starting early next year. This, after Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed an identical measure in September that would have halted the Department of Environmental Protection’s regulatory …
(By Natalie Kapustik | The Center Square) – A group of Pennsylvania lawmakers have partnered with the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association to introduce legislation that would create a grant program for hospitality and tourism businesses struggling to recover from COVID-19 shutdown orders. House Bill 1487 is sponsored by Reps. Todd Polinchock, KC Tomlinson, Meghan …
(By Natalie Kapustik | The Center Square contributor) – The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has begun to spray insecticide to prevent the spread of the invasive spotted lanternfly, which primarily attaches to vehicles and trains to spread across the country. The aggressive treatment is funded through the Rapid Response Disaster Readiness line of Gov. Tom …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – It’s budget season in Pennsylvania and lawmakers have just 30 days until the state’s newest spending plan comes due. This year’s challenge, however, comes not from a lack of funds, but rather how the General Assembly will spend the $7.3 billion in federal economic stimulus it received …
(By Dave Fidlin | The Center Square contributor) – When he was diagnosed with leukemia a dozen years ago, doctors told Paul O’Hara he would live, as he describes it, “a happy and normal life,” so long as he took the critically important drugs prescribed to him. Then came the sticker shock. In the early …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – House Republicans unveiled nearly a dozen bills on Wednesday aimed at reforming Pennsylvania’s lobbying rules. Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, said it’s the second major update to the Lobbyist Disclosure Act he’s proposed in 15 years, though he admits the announcement comes just days before the Legislature’s busiest …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – State lawmakers moved a resolution Tuesday that would edit Pennsylvania’s existing disaster declaration to prevent business closures and stay-at-home orders should COVID-19 cases rise again. House Resolution 106 advanced out of the State Government Committee on a party-line vote after Democrats criticized the move as premature and …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Unofficial election returns show that nearly 54% of voters in Pennsylvania support constitutional amendments that limit the governor’s emergency powers. Some 1.9 million ballots have been counted, according to the Department of State, as of Wednesday morning. The official tally likely won’t come until next week as …
(Christen Smith: The Center Square) – Some Pennsylvania lawmakers said Tuesday the state should advance legislation that prevents local officials from enacting policies that limit energy choices. Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Williamsport, said he sponsored Senate Bill 275 in response to a growing national trend of local officials discriminating against utility connections based on the source …
(Kirsten Smith:The Center Square) – Lawmakers on the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee unanimously endorsed a bill Monday that gives kids a chance to repeat a grade after falling behind from COVID-19 disruptions. Senate Bill 664 would give parents the option to voluntarily hold their child back – once a decision that remained the purview of the …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania House lawmakers support reinstating work search requirements for unemployment claimants and said loosened regulations will bolster the state’s economic recovery. The Department of Labor & Industry said, however, that the manpower shortage businesses face is not a result of suspended work search requirements or the $300 weekly jobless benefit enhancement …
(The Center Square) – The same day public health officials announced an easing of the last COVID-19 restrictions, state lawmakers moved a bill that would make at least one pandemic rule permanent: takeout cocktails. The House Liquor Control Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to advance a proposal that would allow bars and restaurants to sell as much as …
(The Center Square) – A Philadelphia union faces legal action after a New Jersey-based food distributor claims an impending strike violates its collective bargaining agreement. J. Ambrosi Food Distribution filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania last week alleging that officials from Teamsters Local 929 harassed its workers and threatened their jobs if they refused …
(The Center Square) – A proposed program designed to bring conservation-friendly financial resources to farmers across Pennsylvania could come to fruition if recently introduced legislation is enacted. State Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Bradford, is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 465, which calls for the creation of an agricultural conservation assistance program. The legislation currently is in …
(The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said last week proposed tolls for nine interstate bridges won’t be permanent. PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday that the tolls will remain in effect for the length of the contract the state enters into with the private developer responsible for …
(The Center Square) – Public health officials in Pennsylvania are saying they will not follow in New York’s footsteps and adopt vaccine passports. Rather, acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said during a Senate Appropriations Committee meeting Thursday that the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Task Force sees easing hesitancy as its most urgent priority. “Really, what …
(The Center Square) – Republican senators issued Gov. Tom Wolf an ultimatum on Thursday in yet another effort to derail the state’s entry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. In a letter to Wolf signed by 27 members of the Senate Republican Caucus and Sen. John Yudichak, I-Luzurne, the lawmakers said they would not confirm his nominee …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania said 110,000 new residents qualify for financial assistance when buying health insurance in the state-run marketplace thanks to an expansion of credits under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. The congressional aid package increases premium tax credits for all income levels in 2021 and 2022, the Department of Health said …
(The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has launched a new grant program aiming to help the state’s farmers with a variety of projects. “Pennsylvania’s more than 53,000 farms are the backbone of our reliable food system,” Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “They are the heart of Pennsylvania, just like this $1 million …
(The Center Square) – While the revenue-generating events schedule within the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center was nixed this past year, the Harrisburg-based venue remains on a solid financial footing, a state official reported recently. The vitality of the 24-acre complex, long viewed as a sign of Pennsylvania’s largest industry, has come into …
(The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Department of Health said Tuesday it has advised all providers to stop using Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine after six inoculated women developed rare blood clots. The Food and Drug Administration and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the same as the agencies probe the incidents, …
(The Center Square) – Despite an influx of COVID-19 vaccines to Pennsylvania over the past month, the rate of residents 65 and older fully immunized still ranks near the bottom of all 50 states, according to federal data. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows 47.1% of residents 65 and older are fully vaccinated …
(The Center Square) – A bill pending in the Pennsylvania General Assembly opens a two-year litigation window for survivors of child sex abuse to sue their perpetrators after a botched constitutional amendment set back the issue until 2023. House Bill 951 passed the lower chamber Wednesday on a vote of 149-52. The measure would loosen the …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity said Tuesday her office needs a $3 million budget increase to hire more staff, replace equipment and bolster its fraud protection services after a taxing year under pandemic conditions. “I’m a committed fiscal conservative and am dedicated to frugality and the wise use of taxpayer dollars,” she said during …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Friday marks the end of a three-week campaign to vaccinate school workers across the state. As of April 2, the administration said more than 112,500 educators and support staff received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The state estimated about 200,000 residents were eligible under …
(The Center Square) – Americans for Tax Reform said Wednesday that President Joe Biden’s plan to raise corporate taxes to fund a $2 trillion infrastructure package will translate into higher electricity bills for Pennsylvania residents. John Kartch, vice president of communications for the group, noted that utility companies pay corporate income taxes, and the rates customers pay remain tied …
(The Center Square) – Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Pittsburgh, said Tuesday his caucus can’t accept a Republican proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage to $10 an hour. “We don’t believe it’s the right number, and we believe it needs to be higher, and we think it’s something we need to push for,” he said during …
(The Center Square) – A state judge dismissed a lawsuit on Friday that challenged the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s restrictions on Medicaid coverage for abortions. Commonwealth Court President Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt said the petitioners – including seven reproductive health care centers that provide 95% of abortions across the state – lack standing because she “can ascertain no …
(The Center Square) — A high-ranking Republican lawmaker in Pennsylvania said Wednesday the state should withhold funding from schools that don’t return to in-person instruction full time. Appropriations Chairman Stan Saylor, R-York, said he will push other House lawmakers to amend the state’s School Code to prevent districts, technical schools, community colleges or universities from accessing $16.6 …
(The Center Square) – The effort to extend the litigation window for survivors of child sexual abuse suffered a crushing blow this week after lawmakers blocked an emergency constitutional amendment necessary to get the measure on the ballot in May. Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Greensburg, said Monday her caucus concluded that elevating the amendment …
(The Center Square) – The American Rescue Plan delivered more than $5 billion in stimulus to Pennsylvania’s 501 school districts, but senators last week urged caution when spending the “windfall.” Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday that some of the money comes with strings attached so that schools …
(The Center Square) – A group of Republican senators said this week the state of Pennsylvania should deliver more financial and tax relief to small businesses struggling amid the pandemic. The Prioritize PA: Small Business Initiative, a package of five bills, does just that, says co-sponsoring Sens. Ryan Aument, R-Lititz; Camera Bartolotta, R-Washington; Judy Ward, R-Hollidaysburg; and …
(The Center Square) – Gov. Tom Wolf’s call to raise Pennsylvania’s personal income tax amid a broader plan of infusing $4 billion in revenue into the state budget was scrutinized by a number of senators at a recent budget hearing. When Matthew Knittel, director of the state Independent Fiscal Office, went before members of the …
(The Center Square) – A report from the Tax Foundation concludes that Pennsylvania will receive more than $13 billion in aid from the next federal stimulus package. This equals about 10,000% more than necessary to cover the state’s $67 million revenue loss, according to the foundation’s analysis. Nationally, states lost a combined $1.7 billion, representing less than …
By Christen Smith | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A report from the Tax Foundation concludes that Pennsylvania will receive more than $13 billion in aid from the next federal stimulus package. This equals about 10,000% more than necessary to cover the state’s $67 million revenue loss, according to the foundation’s analysis. Nationally, states lost a …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Budget Secretary Jen Swails spent three hours defending Gov. Tom Wolf’s spending plan – a proposal many Republicans criticize as lofty and unrealistic – before the House Appropriations Committee this week. The meeting concluded three weeks of hearings with different state agencies over how Wolf’s $37.8 billion proposal, partly funded …
(The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services needs $941 million extra in its budget this year to service the state’s aging population. For some lawmakers, however, the “overspend” represents years of mismanagement under Gov. Tom Wolf that’s led to a 40% increase in the DHS’s budget since he took office in 2015. …
(The Center Square) — Pennsylvania lost 500,000 jobs in 2020, the Department of Labor and Industry said, and there’s no understanding of when – or if – those positions will return. “We don’t know the reason why they were lost or if they are coming back,” acting Secretary of Labor Jennifer Berrier told the House Appropriations Committee …
By Christen Smith (the Center Square) (The Center Square) – Republicans in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives pressed the Department of Education on Monday over the governor’s proposed cuts to charter school funding, even as the public districts meant to benefit sit on millions in reserves and federal disaster aid, they said. The questions came …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Friday that cutting funding and increasing accountability for underperforming charter schools makes better use of taxpayer dollars than the current system. “If we don’t fix the problems in our charter schools now, we are setting our children up for failure and that’s unacceptable,” Wolf said during a news …
(The Center Square) – A bipartisan duo of senators introduced a measure Wednesday to legalize adult use cannabis in Pennsylvania. It’s the first time a Republican member of the chamber has cosponsored the proposal – typically endorsed solely by Democrats, including Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. “That’s kind of the elephant in the room, …
By Christen Smith | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A bipartisan duo of senators introduced a measure Wednesday to legalize adult use cannabis in Pennsylvania. It’s the first time a Republican member of the chamber has cosponsored the proposal – typically endorsed solely by Democrats, including Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. “That’s kind …
(The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said Tuesday specifics about a plan to toll nine bridges across the state remains under development, though drivers may see the fees as soon as 2023. “Nothing is final,” Transportation Secretary Yassmin Gramian said during a House Appropriations Committee budget hearing. “Nothing is definite yet.” The plan – a result of …
(The Center Square) – Gov. Tom Wolf signed a 90-day statewide emergency declaration for COVID-19 on Friday, the fourth such order since March 6, 2020. “COVID-19 vaccinations have begun, but we are still in the early stages of vaccine administration,” he said. “We will continue to prioritize a safe, efficient and equitable distribution process, and expect vaccinations …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania lawmakers wanted to know this week how the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Secretary could justify seeking more for its annual budget at a time when overall inmate populations are dropping. Corrections Secretary John Wetzel is asking for a 2.5 percent increase, and during Wednesday’s budget hearing before the House Appropriations …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office said Tuesday that raising the state’s minimum wage would stimulate economic growth, even though it increases costs for employers. “It would overall increase economic growth because it is an income transfer from higher income to lower income individuals,” said Matthew Knittel, executive director of the IFO, the state’s independent fiscal …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania health officials said Friday vaccine providers must hit new administration benchmarks or risk a cut to their weekly supply. Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam told reporters that providers must administer 80 percent of their supply as first doses to residents covered under vaccination Phase 1A within seven days. The …
By Christen Smith | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said he’s confident Republicans may support raising the state’s minimum wage, even if it’s to a rate lower than his proposed $15 an hour. “I think Republicans in the House and Senate have already shown an appetite for raising the minimum …
(The Center Square) – Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday his administration will lead a joint legislative COVID-19 task force – including lawmakers from both parties – to improve the state’s vaccine rollout. The decision follows months of complaints from Republican majorities in the House and Senate that center on the administration’s unilateral policymaking on pandemic …
By Christen Smith | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Shortages of COVID-19 vaccine supply and a “chaotic” online registration process undermine Pennsylvania’s immunization efforts, experts said Monday. Health officials testified before the House Democratic Policy Committee that while the state’s current system needs adjusting, complaints will continue until vaccine supply from the federal government …
(The Center Square) – Gov. Tom Wolf’s $37.8 billion spending proposal prioritizes a $2 billion boost in public education funding to tackle crumbling school buildings, stagnating teacher salaries and dwindling achievement among disadvantaged students. But charter schools and the 170,000 students they serve across the state would see their funding cut under the governor’s plan through policies …
(The Center Square) – More details emerged Wednesday about Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposal to hike personal income taxes on the top third of earners, claiming in his annual budget address that the rest would see no increase at all. Wolf said charging “financially secure” residents more to help those with less succeed while directing those …
It’s National School Choice week, and public debate about whether lawmakers should prioritize traditional districts or ease limitations on their public and private alternatives seems more fraught than ever. In Pennsylvania, the discourse targets the same players – teachers unions face blame for fighting to keep in-person instruction limited, parents fearful of the virus want …
A new report finds residents in Pennsylvania struggle with obesity, suicide and racial disparities in health outcomes, and the pandemic’s impact on all three could make the problems worse. The data comes from the 31st annual America’s Health Rankings analysis, compiled by the United Health Foundation. While the foundation decided against providing an overall ranking …
Residents now included in Pennsylvania’s expanded first phase of its COVID-19 immunization plan can find available providers through an interactive map on the Department of Health website. The department said last week it is ready to vaccinate residents age 65 or older and those under 64 with preexisting health conditions – including cancer to heart …
President-elect Joe Biden looked no further than Pennsylvania when selecting his administration’s next assistant secretary of health. He tapped state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine for the role over the weekend, describing her as a “historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts.” “Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady …
Revised federal guidance that expands the pool of Americans eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine left Pennsylvania health officials scrambling to rethink their statewide immunization plan. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said Wednesday that when the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said residents age 65 or older or with preexisting health conditions …
By Christen Smith (The Center Square) – A federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Pennsylvania state senator won reelection on Nov. 3, tossing out a last-minute challenge from his opponent that delayed his seating in the chamber last week. Sen. Jim Brewster, D-Monroeville, defeated Republican challenger Nicole Ziccarelli in the state’s 45th district by just …
State officials encouraged districts across Pennsylvania to resume in-person learning for elementary students on Jan. 25 as they see fit. “This is not mandatory,” Acting Education Secretary Noe Ortega said Thursday. “It’s up to school leaders whether or not local factors permit kids to return to in-person instruction.” The guidance comes after many schools transitioned …
By Christen Smith (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania state Sen. Jim Brewster, D-Monroeville, who won reelection in November by just 69 votes, won’t be sworn in with the rest of his colleagues Tuesday after his November opponent filed a last-minute challenge against the certified results. Republican challenger Nicole Ziccarelli petitioned Senate President Pro Tempore Jake …
By Christen Smith | The Center Square It’s been two weeks since Gov. Tom Wolf banned indoor dining and alcohol sales at restaurants statewide amid an alarming spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations. And for many owners, abiding by the rules – devastating as they may be – remains a top priority, even if it challenges everything …
By Christen Smith | The Center Square The latest round of COVID-19 restrictions helped slow Pennsylvania’s skyrocketing infection rate, health officials said Monday, though residents must “stay the course” to see rules relaxed in the coming year. “It’s critically important to continue our mitigation efforts and really not to get together in gatherings on New …